Healthcare workers across the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) are reaffirming their commitment to patients, residents and mental health care clients in a series of local events.
Beth Masling, WNSWLHD Manager of Patient and Carer Experience, said all healthcare facilities in the District were receiving new patient, resident and mental health pledges, with staff invited to renew their commitment to patient care and safety.
“Many people don’t realise just how substantial our Local Health District is, we employ more than 8,000 people in our services and facilities and see around 560 people in our emergency departments every day and around a quarter are admitted to a hospital bed,” Ms Masling said.
“We are the largest provider of residential aged-care in regional NSW, with more than 400 people living in our Multipurpose Services, and hundreds of people receive mental health care either in the community or our inpatient services every year.
“The vast majority of those people rate their care very highly, and we know our healthcare teams are incredibly committed not just to providing high quality and safe healthcare, but also to providing a kind and respectful experience to patients and their carers.
“Our pledges are one way that we can really say to our communities, our patients and to our colleagues: ‘this is the care and experience you can and should expect from us’.”
Ms Masling said the pledges differ for the various cohort of patients cared for across the District, an indication of staff’s commitment to provide the care each individual patient requires to continue meeting their needs.
“The pledges are slightly different for people in hospital, people in aged care, and people receiving mental health services because how we operate in those settings is different but many aspects are consistent, focusing on safety, respect, collaboration and accountability,” Ms Masling said.
“Every person who is cared for by our teams has individual needs, whether those are clinical, cultural, personal or social. Our patient pledges help reinforce that as well as providing safe and high quality care, we also take time to understand and respond to those needs.
“Our healthcare teams do an incredible job, and are greatly appreciated by their communities. Our pledges are a clear and public way of stating the standards and principles we value and promote as an organisation, and as individuals.
“Over the next few weeks, each of our sites will be taking time out to put the relevant pledges on display and staff will be invited to sign them as their own personal commitment.”
